coal mine

American  

noun

1. a mine or pit from which coal is obtained.

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Other Word Forms

• coal miner noun
• coal mining noun

Etymology

Origin of coal mine

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

"There is a canary in the coal mine here," he said.

From BBC

Environmentalists welcomed the shutdown as good news attesting to the country's plan to quit coal mining by 2030, when the last brown coal mine is due to close.

From Barron's

Dumfries House in Ayrshire has been renovated and turned into a training centre in a part of Scotland hit badly by the closure of local coal mines.

From BBC

In some ways this revision process can convert a writer into a canary in the coal mine, where you’re picking up on certain frequencies early.

From The Wall Street Journal

First Brands filed for bankruptcy protection last year; it may be the canary in the coal mine.

From Barron's